Self-locking hook



API-11923, 1940. H, D EE 2,191,997

SELF-LOCKING Hoox Filed Dec. 7. 1938 27 25' v 29 /A/x/f/v/r-o/e, 2J 51 ,7,604 0.ZD. Z955.

Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PA'IENTy OFFICE i' 2,197,997

'SELF-LOCKING HOOK Haroldv n. Dee, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 7, 1938, Serial No. 244,435 V 4 Claims.

My invention relates to a self-locking hook of the particular type forming the subject matter of U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,116,880 issued tome May l0, 1938, on self-locking cable 'hook and the principal objects of my present invention are, to

generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the hook disclosed in my aforesaid patent, as well as other existing forms of similar hooks, and further, to provide a hook having a fulcrumed latch member or finger that normally closes the opening into the hook and being retained in such closed position, so that it can not be accidentally swung inward so as to 'open the hook as result of the latching nger being struck on the outside by an extraneous object.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a self-locking hook of the character referred to having a manually operable spring-held member that may be conveniently manipulated for swinging the latching finger into open position and a portion of which manually operable member engages a part of the latchingv finger at a point a substantial distance away' from its ful'- orum, s0 as to effectively maintain the latching finger in position to close the hook.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a self-locking hook wherein the free end of the latching finger has an effective inter-engagement with the free end of the hook and thereby enabling the latching member to eiectively resist laterally impressed strains or pressures that would otherwise tend to disengage the free endof the latching member from the free end of the hook and further, to provide a simple, strong, and durable self-locking hook that may be advantageously employedV for various purposes, for instance, in the mooring of' boats, for making positive yet readily releasable connections between cables used in hoisting equipment' and, in connection with the safety belts utilized by vremen or by workmen engaged in the erectionof pole or tower supported electrical equipment vand the like. f

With the foregoing and vother objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an edge view of a self-locking rhoolr constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view partly in section and taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view taken looking in the direction indicated by arrow 3 in Fig. .2'.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrate a preferredl embodiment of my invention, lli designates Aa shank or handle which mayv be of any desired form and length and, formed integral withrthe end of' said shank or handle is a hook II having the general contour of a conventional shhook withoutthe barb. Hook I! is provided with a blunt freey end l2 andi, formed in said end on the inner side `of the hook is a recess I3 that is somewhat narrower than the width or thickness ofthe end. of the hook `(see Fig. 3).

At the point where the main body or shank rof the hook Il joins the handle I0, the parts; are provided with a longitudinally disposed chamber lli having a portion I5 that extends upwardly into the shank or body of the hook II andl this portion |15 is. open on the inner side of the hook. y2()` The lower portion of chamber M'. extends-'downwardly a short distance intothe shank .orf handle lll as designated by I6 and, a, slot or opening `I'l is formed lin thev side of the shank or handle II) below the shank of hook Il.'

A hook closing latch or finger I8 is pivoted on a pin or'bolt I9 that is seatedin the walls of the shank or handle l0 to the sides of the chamber i4 on the opposite side of said shank from the slot orA opening Ilv and, theupper end of this l hook closing finger normally bea-rs on thefree 30 end of hook Il. In order to provide inter-en gagement between the free end of latching member I8 andthe end ofthe hook, alug 20 projects frorn-the end of said finger on-the inner -side thereof and which lugis adapted to occupy the 35 'notch orl recess I-3 when the latch is in pos-ition to close the openinginto the hook. The engagement of the lug 2li fin recess` I3 provides. a strong and substantial joint loetvveer-iA the end of the-latchin-g finger and the end-of the hook and 40 effectively resists side Astrains or pressures that would tend to diseng-age the end ofthe latching finger from the hook. Y. l

The lower portion of latching :fnernbenlilA extends a. short distance into` they chamber I4 and said end is biiurcated tov form an outer finger Zlthat .extends below the pivot pin I9- andan Vinner iinger 22Y that projects into the upper central portion of chamber I4. Fingers 2i and 22 which are separated by a notch 23 are curved slightly toward each other and the endv of the inner finger 22 is provided with a substantially fiat end 24 which, when the latching memberv I8 is in closed position occupies a plane that .intersectsthe axis of pivot pin I9 and which plane is substantially: at right angles to the axis of the shank or handle Ill.

Seated in the walls of'shank I0 to thesides of thepocket or lower portion|6 of the chamber w I 4 are the ends of a pin or bolt 25 and, pivoted thereon is the lower portion of a latch releasing member 26. The coiled portion of a spring 21 surrounds the pivot pin or bolt 25 with one end of said. spring bearing against the bottom of pocketl and the opposite end engaging the edge of member 26 opposite the edge that projects through opening I1.

The edge of the outer portion of latch actuating member 26 that projects through the opening I1 is preferably knurled or ribbed as designated by 28 in order that it may be conveniently engaged and pressed inwardly by the thumb when the member I6 is manipulated to swing the latching linger I8 into open position.

Formed in the upper portion of member 26 and extending downwardly from its upper end toward pivot pin 25 is a notch 29 and a portion of member 26 between the upper end of this notch and the upper end of the knurled surface 28 is extended upwardly to form a short lip 30 that normally engages against the wall oi the shank or body of the hook immediately above slot or opening 21, thus limiting the outward swinging movement of the latch operating and locking member 26.

Projecting upwardly from` the inner central portion of member 26 and in substantial vertical alignment with pivot pin 25, is a finger 3| provided with a fiat upper end surface 32 that is adapted to engage the flat `under face 24 o-f finger 22 on the latch member I8 when the latter is in closed position.

Under normal conditions or when the hook is closed, the various parts occupy the positions as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the iiat end 32 of iinger 3| bearing directly against lthe at end 24 of finger 22, thus effectively holding the latching member I8 in hook closing position and it is impossible for the latching member to be swung inwardly as a result of being struck or pressed inwardly from the outside by an extraneousr object.

When the hook is closed, the spring 21 holds the latch operating member 26 in position, with the lip 30 against the wall of the hook immediately above the upper end of slot I1 and thus, the

latching member is positively held in hook closing position.

'It will be noted that when the hook closing latch is in closed position, the substantially flat contacting surfaces 24 and 312 on the fingers 22 and 3| respectively, occupy a plane that approximately intersects the axis of pivot pin I9 and said contacting flat faces are disposed a substantial ldistance above the pivot pin 25 and, such arrangement is highly eiective in securely maintaining the latching member in closed position.

i In order to release or open the hook closing latch I8, it is only necessary to engage the knurled surface 28 of member 26 and press the same inwardly against the yielding resistance offered by spring 21 and, as such-movement takes place the end of finger 3| vleaves the end of finger 22 and after moving across the notch 23 said finger 3| engages finger 2|, thereby swinging the latching finger I8 on its axis so that the upper portion thereof moves across the opening in the hook and, the upper end of said latching member enters the upper end of the recess I5 that extends upwardly from chamber I4. During this opening movement of the latching member I8, the finger 22 swings downwardly into recess 29 in member 26 and the upper portion of the notch 23 accommodates the upper portion of nger 3|.

As soon as the inward' pressure is relieved on member 26, spring 21 will act to instantly restore the parts to their normal positions, with the free end of latching member I8 engaging the free end of hook II and with the at faces on the ends of the fingers 22 and 3| in direct engagement with each other to effectively hold the hook closing member in closed position.

Thus it willV be seen that I have provided a self locking hook that is relatively simple in construcdescribed, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A self-locking hook comprising a shank, a hook formed on one end of said shank, there being an opening formed in said shank, a portion of which opening extends into the body of the hook, a hook closing member having one end pivotally mounted in the upper portion of said opening in said shank, the free end of which member is adapted to engage the free end of said hook to close the same, a member pivotally mounted in the extreme lower portion of said opening in the shank for actuating the hook closing member and co-operating means on said hook closing member and said actuating member for positively holding the hook closing member in closed position.

2. A self-locking hook as set forth in claim 1 and a spring having a portion coiled about the pivot of said actuating member, one end of which spring bears against said actuating member and the other end bearing against the bottom of the opening in said shank.

3. In a self-locking hook, a shank, a hook formed thereon, there beinga chamber in the shank, a portion of which chamber extends into the body portion of the hook, a hook closing lmember having one end pivotally mounted in the upper portion of the chamber in said shank, a

spring held member pivotally mounted in the i extreme lower portion of the chamber in said shank for actuating said hook closing member, there being an opening formed through the wall of the shank to the side of the chamber therein, a portion of which actuating member projects through said last mentioned opening and opposed fingers formed on said hook closing member and said actuating member, the ends of which opposed ingers have iiat faces adapted to abut each other when the hook closing member is in closed position.

4. A self-locking hook as set forth in claim 3, with said hook closing member and said hook actuating member having notches for the reception of said ngers when the hook closing member is swung into open position by said actuating member.

HAROLD D. DEE. 

